The Protein and Carbohydrate Structure Laboratory provide a broad range of state-of-the-art services in support of basic research. Most of these services involve the use of costly instrumentation that individual investigators would not otherwise have access to. These services also require highly trained personnel that are difficult to support by a single laboratory. This core has successfully provided support for investigators of the Multipurpose Arthritis Center from its inception in 1988. Major services currently offered by the Protein Structure Laboratory include: amino acid analysis, protein microsequencing, carbohydrate composition, peptide synthesis, protein mapping, isolation of protein fragments for microsequencing, circular dichroism, and mass spectroscopy of peptides and proteins. The Structure Laboratory presently employs ten full-time analysts with extensive training in peptide synthesis and protein structure analysis. The Laboratory provides: 1.) access to state-of-the- art instrumentation for protein structure analysis and peptide synthesis, 2.) access to highly trained personnel to operate and carbohydrate purification and structure analysis, 4.) development and/or implementation of new technologies, 5.) training in the interpretation of data, operation of instruments, and experimental design. Because of their generally high level of experience, personnel from the Protein Structure Laboratory routinely become closely involved in research projects with investigators.